The Arabian Nights Entertainments - Anonymous (best novels to read in english .TXT) 📗

As Assad's ill luck would have it, Bahram lighted upon that in which the prince was sleeping, with his head wrapped up in his coat. Assad awoke at the noise he made, and asked, Who's there? Behram knew him again presently. Hah, hah, said he, thou art the man who hast been my ruin for ever; thou hast escaped being sacrificed this year; but, depend upon it, thou shalt not escape the next. Saying this, he flew upon him, clapped his handkerchief in his mouth, to prevent his making noise, and by the help of his seamen bound him.

Next morning, as soon as the city sates were open, Behram and his men easily carried Assad to the old man's house where he had been so inhumanly treated. It was so early that they met nobody in the streets; and when he came to the old man's house, he was again thrown into the dungeon. Behram acquainted the wizard with the sad occasion of his return, and the ill success of his voyage. The old rascal, upon this, commanded his two furies, Bostava and Cavama, to treat him, if possible, more cruelly than before.

Assad was in a terrible surprise to find himself in the hands of his old persecutors, from whom he had suffered so much, and hoped that he had been delivered; he lamented the rigour of his destiny, and trembled when he saw Bostava enter with a cudgel, a loaf, and a pitcher of water; he was almost dead at the sight of that unmerciful wretch, and the thoughts of the daily sufferings he was to endure for another year, when he was to die the most horrible of deaths.

Bostava dealt not so inhumanly by Prince Assad as she had done the first time of his confinement; his cries, complaints, and most earnest prayers to her to spare him, joined with his tears, were so moving, that she could not help being melted by them, and to weep as bitterly as himself. My lord, said she, covering his shoulders, which were always bare while he was under the bastinado, I ask a thousand pardons for my inhuman treatment of you formerly, and for what you feel at this time. Till now I was afraid of disobeying a father who is unjustly enraged against you, and resolved on your destruction; but at last I loathe and abhor this barbarity. Be comforted; your bad days are over; I will endeavour to make amends for all my crimes, of the enormity of which, by my future behaviour, you will find I am convinced. You have hitherto looked upon me as an infidel; but having been converted by a slave who is a Mussulman, you must henceforth believe me one of your own religion. I hope your lessons will finish my conversion. To show my good intentions, I first beg pardon of Heaven for my sins in using you so cruelly; and I trust that it will soon be in my power to set you entirely a liberty.

The prince was transported to hear her talk at this rate; he thanked the Almighty for the change wrought upon her, and for touching the heart of so barbarous a creature; he also thanked her for her good disposition towards him, and omitted no arguments which he thought would have any effect to confirm her in her new religion. As a proof of the confidence he reposed in her, he gave her an account of his high birth, together with a relation of all his adventures to that period. When he began to believe she was in earnest, he asked how she could hinder her sister Cavama's treating him so barbarously as she used to do. Let not that trouble you, replied Bostava; I know how to order matters so that she shall never come near you.

According to promise, she every day prevented Cavama going down to the dungeon, where she often visited the prince; and, instead of carrying bread and water, she brought him the best wine, and the choicest victuals she could get, which were provided by her Mahometan slave. She often ate and drank with him herself, and did her utmost to render his confinement as easy as possible.

A few days after, as Bostava was standing at her father's door, she heard the common crier making proclamation, but, was at too great a distance to hear distinctly what it was. Having finished his harangue, he came nearer to repeat it again, when she drew back; and, as she stood holding the door half open, perceived the crier marching before the grand vizier Amgrad, brother to Assad, who was accompanied by several officers, with attendants walking before and behind him.

The crier, going a few steps from the house, repeated the proclamation with a loud voice as follows:

The most excellent and illustrious lord the grand vizier is come in person to seek for his dear brother, from whom he was separated about a year ago; he is young and handsomely made. If any person has him in keeping, or knows where he is, his excellency commands that they bring him forth, or give notice where he shall find him, promising a great reward to the person who shall do so. If any one conceal him, and be found out, his excellency declares that he or they shall be punished with death, together with his or their children, and all who belong to the family, and his or their house or houses razed to the ground.

Bostava had no sooner heard this, than she instantly shut the door, and ran as fast as she could to the dungeon to inform Assad of it. Prince, said she with joy, your troubles are at an end! Follow me; come immediately, and be free! She having taken off his fetters several days before, the prince followed her into the street, where, quite transported with what she had done, she cried, There! there!

The grand vizier, who was not far from the house, hearing her clamours, returned. Assad, knowing him to be his brother, ran to him, and embraced him; which Amgrad, who presently found it to be his brother Assad, returned with all possible tenderness; and, making him mount one of his officer's horses, who alighted for that purpose, conducted him to the palace, where he presented him to the king, by whom he was advanced to the post of a vizier.

Bostava would not return to her father's house, which was next day razed to the ground, but kept prince Assad in sight; and she, for the friendly part she had acted towards him, was admitted into the queen's service.

The old man her father, and Behram, were brought before the king, who condemned them and all their families to be beheaded. They threw themselves at his feet, and implored his mercy. There is no mercy to expect, said the king, unless you renounce your adoring of fire, and profess the Mahometan religion.

They accepted the conditions, and were pardoned at the intercession of Assad, in consideration of Bostava's friendship; for whose sake Cavama's life, and the lives of the rest of their families, were saved.

Amgrad, to reward Behram for turning Mussulman, and recompense him for his losses, made him one of his officers, and lodged him in his house. Behram, being informed of Amgrad and his brother Assad's stories, proposed to his benefactor to fit him a vessel to convey them to their father king Camaralzaman's court; for, said he, the king must certainly have heard of your innocence, and impatiently desire to see you ere this; otherwise we can easily inform ourselves of the truth before we land; and if he is still in the same mind, you can return hither.

The two brothers liking the proposal, communicated it to the king of the city of the magicians, who approved of it, and commanded a ship to be equipped for that purpose, Behram undertook the employment cheerfully; and, being master of the art of navigation and maritime affairs, he soon got in readiness to sail. The two princes, when they understood that the ship was ready, waited upon the king one morning to take their leave of him. While they were reciprocally passing compliments on the occasion, they were interrupted by a great noise and tumult in the city; and presently an officer came to give them notice that a numerous army was advancing against the city, nobody knowing who they were, or from whence they came.

The king being mightily alarmed at the news, Amgrad addressed himself thus to him: Sir, though I am come to resign into your majesty's hands the dignity of your first minister, with which you were pleased to honour me, I am, however, ready to do you all the service that lies in my power: I desire, therefore, that you would be pleased to let me go and see who this enemy is that comes to attack you in your capital city, without having first declared war.

The king praying him to do so, Amgrad, with a very small retinue, parted from him immediately, to see what enemy approached, and to know the reason of their coming.

It was not long before prince Amgrad descried the army, which approaching nearer and nearer, the foremost received him favourably, and conducted him to their princess, who stopped herself, and commanded the army to halt, while she discoursed with the prince, who, bowing profoundly to her, demanded if she came as a friend or an enemy; if as an enemy, what cause of complaint she had against the king his master.

I come as a friend, replied the princess, and have nothing to complain against the king of the city of the magicians; his territories and mine are so situate, that it is almost impossible for our subjects to quarrel with one another, or we ourselves to have any dispute. I only come to require a slave, named Assad, to be delivered up to me: he was carried away by one Behram, a captain of a ship, the most insolent man in the world. I hope your king will do me justice, especially when he knows that I am queen Margiana.

The prince answered, Mighty queen! the slave you take so much pains to seek is my brother; I lost him, and have found him again. Come, madam, I will deliver him up to you myself, and will do myself the honour to tell you the rest of the story as we go to the king my master's palace, who will rejoice to see you.

The queen ordered her army to pitch their tents, and encamp where they were; she then accompanied prince Amgrad to the city and palace-royal, where he presented her to the king, who received her as became his dignity and hers. Assad, who was present, and knew her as soon as he saw her, also paid his duty to her; and she, at sight of him, showed all the marks of transporting joy. While thus busied, news came that an army, more powerful than the former, was approaching on another side of the city.

The king of the magicians, understanding that the second army was more numerous than the first, was frightened to a greater degree than before; for the dust they made raised clouds in the air which almost obscured the face of heaven. Amgrad, cried he, what shall we do? A new army comes to destroy us! Amgrad, guessing what the king would have of him, instantly mounted his horse again, and gallopped towards the second army. He demanded of the advanced guards to speak with their general; they conducted him to their king, for such he perceived him to be by the crown he had on his head. When he drew near, he threw himself on the ground, and asked what he would have with the king his master.

The monarch replied, I am Gaiour, king of China. My desire to learn some tidings of a daughter whose name is Badoura, whom I married to Camaralzaman, you of Schahzaman, king of the isles of the Children of Khaledan, obliged me to leave my dominions. I suffered that prince to go to see his father king Schahzaman, on condition that he came back in a year with my daughter, but have impatiently waited ever since without hearing any thing of them. Your king will lay an infinite obligation on an afflicted father, by telling him if he knows what is become of them.

Prince Amgrad, perceiving by his discourse that the king was his grandfather, kissed his hand with tenderness, and answered him thus: I hope your majesty will pardon my freedom, when you know that I take it only to pay my duty to my grandfather! I am the son of Camaralzaman, king of the isle of Ebene, and of queen Badoura, for whom you are thus